A Sentimental But Secular Nation Turns To God

A tragedy of the dimensions of Sept. 11 can bring a search for scapegoats in its wake.

On the political left we find some who blame the supposed evils of "global capitalism," while on the political right we find some who blame the godlessness of American society.

Although the particulars differ, both camps suggest that the victims were complicit, whether directly or indirectly, in their own destruction. And thus is any concept of authentic innocence swept aside.

The Cold War is a thing of the past, so the religious right can no longer target godless communism as the source of our woes. The terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 massacre were not atheists at all but religious fundamentalists of the most extreme type, so the blame is placed on domestic rather than on foreign godlessness.

If it is true that Americans put their differences aside in a time of crisis and rally around their common values, this might help to explain the recent proliferation of "God Bless America" signs and banners throughout America. It might be supposed that Americans are returning to those religious values on which this nation was founded.

There are several problems with this interpretation, not the least of which is the United States was established as a secular nation, not a religious one. There is no mention of "God" in the Constitution. And when Thomas Jefferson mentioned God in the Declaration of Independence, he was referring to the God of deism -- that rationalistic creator, popular during the 18th-century Enlightenment, who did not communicate with human beings or otherwise intervene in human affairs.

Many of the nation's most influential founding fathers -- such as Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine -- were deists and were highly critical of Christianity and other revealed religions. Paine (whose pamphlet "Common Sense" was the spark plug of the American Revolution) claimed that "the most detestable wickedness, and the most horrid cruelties, and the greatest miseries that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called revelation, or revealed religion."

Paine and other deists lamented the intolerance and persecution that were common features in the history of Christianity, Islam and other revealed religions. In their view, people who believe they have an infallible lock on divine revelation will often feel justified in using violence and terror against dissenters and unbelievers. Reason, not faith, is the philosophical foundation of a free and tolerant society.

Atheists are a distinct minority in our society, so we might wonder how American atheists react to the "God Bless America" signs, posters and banners that seem to have popped up everywhere. Do atheists feel excluded by this outpouring of religious sentiment? Do they feel they are being told that only those who believe in God can be good Americans?

I recently posed the latter question to a large group of atheists on the Internet, and their responses were nearly unanimous. Nearly no atheist felt in the least troubled or excluded by the public enthusiasm for "God Bless America" -- so long, that is, as such expressions were by private citizens and not sponsored by government.

Just as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, so meaning lies in the intent of the speaker. And in most cases the sentimental intent of "God Bless America" is something with which I and most every other American atheist can heartily agree.

"God Bless America" is the title of a beautiful and inspirational song by Irving Berlin. The song and its title have become part of American culture. Only the most jaded atheist could fail to appreciate what these have come to symbolize -- namely, a tribute to this land and the best in those who inhabit it.

I will continue to judge the recent popularity of "God Bless America" in the most benevolent light possible. I will take it for what I believe most Americans intend it to be: a tribute to the ideals of freedom and tolerance on which the United States was founded.

2001, Newsday George H. Smith is the author of three books on atheism, including "Atheism: The Case Against God."

For education and discussion only

My first stab at posting an article, hope I did it right.

I found this article interesting, most Atheists are supposed to be whining about how they feel left out according to the media, but this guy puts a different spin on it and I found it fascinating.

I used to be an atheist (well closet atheist anway) and I never took offense to either God Bless America or prayer in school. In fact I was far more patriotic than most of the religious (read: ritual but no spirituality) people I came into contact with. As an aside, on the latter I only took offense occassionally because of the hypocrisy I often saw there. People would pray then go bully kids they didn't like just because they felt being Christian made them untouchable and morally superior. Their attitude was essentially, I'm a Christian so that instantly makes me a better person than you. I'm a Christian now, but I cannot excuse that kind of behavior as misguided. It is not misguided, it is cruel, sadistic and consciously targetted at those who are often on the outside of the mainstream in school but who either just want to be left alone or be accepted.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.